Toledo Police Officer Accused of Buying Marijuana on Duty
A Toledo police officer has been relieved of duty and faces a misdemeanor charge after allegedly purchasing marijuana while on duty in December. According to court documents, Jeremy Berndt, a 51-year-old officer with 21 years of service, was seen on video buying marijuana on December 3 while wearing his police uniform and carrying a firearm. He arrived and left in his department-issued police vehicle.
The alleged purchase was made from Maximum Performance Cycles, which is not a state-licensed marijuana dispensary. Berndt was charged with dereliction of duty, a second-degree misdemeanor, on January 23 and is scheduled to appear in court on January 31.
The Toledo Police Department (TPD) is conducting both an internal investigation and a criminal investigation into the matter. TPD Chief Michael Troendle released a statement expressing disappointment and emphasizing that the department holds its officers to a high standard of personal and professional conduct.
“This is an understatement to say that I was disappointed when I was informed that one of our officers was being investigated for criminal conduct,” Troendle said. “The community places great trust in the over 600 sworn officers of the Toledo Police Department to abide by and uphold the law. When an officer breaches that trust, they must be held accountable.”
